Chocolate Chip Cupcake with Chocolate Ganache

Yet another Day, yet another craving for cupcakes and this time it is Chocolate.  Read somewhere:

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.” 
― Charles M. Schulza

So all the chocolate lovers gear up for this weekend and try these yummilicious cupcakes with loads of chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Cupcake with Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

110 gms Flour

110 gms Castor Sugar

110 gms Butter

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

30 ml Milk

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Procedure:

• ·         Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.
• ·         In a bowl, add the flour, baking powder and keep aside.
• ·         Put the butter and sugar in a bowl.
• ·         Cream with beater till light and pale.
• ·         Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well.
• ·         Add in vanilla extract.
• ·         Gradually add in the flour, seeing that no lumps are formed.
• ·         Add in milk.
• ·         Mix it well.
• ·         Do not over beat the batter.
• ·         Pour the batter in greased and lined muffin tray.
• ·         Bake for 15-20  minutes at 160 degrees.

F       For the Icing:

     Chocolate Ganache

    Ingredients:

    100 gms Chocolate

     50  ml Cream

     Procedure:

• 
  
•     Melt the chocolate on a double boiler or you can do it in the microwave also.
•     For 30sec-1minute microwave it in the oven.
•     Fold in cream.
•    Whisk together to combine.
•     Put it in piping bag/spread it over the cupcakes.
•     After spreading the ganache, top it with whipped cream
•     I added yellow color, in the whipped cream you can choose any of the colors.
•     Decorate with sprinkles.
• 
  

• 

  Chocolate Chip Cupcake with Chocolate Ganache

1. 
   

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Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I am posting another awesome flavour of cupcakes. As February is approaching, Red Velvet Cupcakes  are ideal for the month of love decorated with hearts and other sprinkles.

Hoping u all will enjoy these beastly creatures a lot.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

125gms Flour

125gms Castor Sugar

50gms Butter

15gms Cocoa Powder

1tsp Vanilla Extract

1tsp Baking Powder

1/4tsp Baking Soda

1 Egg

Few drops Red Color

85ml Buttermilk

Few Drops of Vinegar

Procedure:

·          Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.

·          In a bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.

·          In another bowl cream butter and sugar till pale.

·          Add the egg beat well.

·          Then gradually add in the flour mixture.

·          Finally add the color, buttermilk and vinegar.

·          Pour the batter into the lined and grease muffin moulds.

·          Bake in an oven for 15-20minutes at 160 degrees.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

100gms Butter

200gms Icing Sugar

50gms Cream Cheese

Food color of your choice

Procedure:

·          Beat the butter in a bowl.

·          Add in the cream cheese.

·          Then add in the icing sugar.

·          Beat till stiff.

·          You can add the food color but I have kept it white color.

·          Pipe on the cooled cupcakes.

·          Decorate with sprinkles

Vanilla Cupcakes with whipped cream and strawberries

Whenever I think of cupcakes I have this song going on in my  mind :
                                            "You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum
Pumpy-umpy-umpkin, You're my Sweetie Pie You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop Snoogums-Boogums, You're the Apple of my Eye These tiny creatures makes me go weak in the knees, and whenever I see them in any cake shop I just want to have all of them that results in over-eating. Since a long time I wanted to make them at home, with proper knowledge of it, so i decided to take a class, I attended Palate Culinary Studio in Mumbai, to learn the art of making the cupcakes.  It was a great experience and I learnt a lot. I made them at home, and they came out just the way I wanted them to be. Here is the recipe of Vanilla cupcakes. You can experiment it with different icings, but i chose whipped cream. Hope u will enjoy reading them and making them too.

Vanilla Cupcakes with whipped cream & strawberries

Ingredients:

110gms Flour

110gms Castor Sugar

110gms Butter

1/4tsp Baking Powder

30ml Milk

2 Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Extract

Procedure:

• ·         Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.
• ·         In a bowl, add the flour, baking powder and keep aside.
• ·         Put the butter and sugar in a bowl.
• ·         Cream with beater till light and pale.
• ·         Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well.
• ·         Add in vanilla extract.
• ·         Gradually add in the flour, seeing that no lumps are formed.
• ·         Add in milk.
• ·         Mix it well.
• ·         Do not over beat the batter.
• ·         Pour the batter in greased and lined muffin tray.
• ·         Bake for 15-20  minutes at 160 degrees.

For the Icing:

Ingredients:

250 ml whipping cream

Food color of your choice

1tbsp Icing Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract

7-8 Strawberries (small)s

Procedure:

• ·         Take 250 ml of any whipping cream.
• ·         Whip the cream with the help of a beater. Make sure the cream is cold.
• ·         Add in color of ur choice, or u can leave it white also.
• ·         Put it in the piping bag.
• ·         Pipe it on the cup cakes.
• ·         Take some small strawberries, place it on the iced cupcakes.
• ·         Dust it with icing sugar

Tri-coloured Rice: Celebrating Republic Day

Its Republic Day so I decided to something which depicts the flag and Indianism. and what better than using Rice with vegetables.
I have used all natural ingredients no artificial colors are used in making the rice.

Tri-coloured Rice

Ingredients:
1.5cups Basmati Rice (Dividing into 3 equal parts)
Water to boil
Salt to taste

For the Orange/Saffron Rice
1tsp Olive Oil
1 Tomato
1Carrot
1tsp ginger-garlic paste
1tsp Pav Bhaji Masala

For the White Rice
1tsp Olive Oil
2tbsp Crumbled Paneer
1tsp Italian Seasoning
1tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste

For the Green Rice
1tsp Olive Oil
1 cup Mint Leaves
1 green chilly
1tsp ginger-garlic paste

Procedure:

• Boil the Rice with salt.
• Divide the rice into 3 equal parts.

For the Orange Rice:

• Chop carrots and tomato.
• Blanch them in hot water till it becomes soft.
• Then blend it in a mixer.
• In a pan add oil + ginger-garlic paste + the puree.
• Fold in rice slowly so that the rice does not break.
• Add in the Pav Bhaji Masala.
• Mix.
• Switch off the Gas. Keep it aside.

For the White Rice:

• Heat oil in a pan, add in ginger-garlic paste.
• Add in crumbled paneer + Italian Seasoning.
• Slowly fold in the rice.
• Mix and keep it aside.

For the Green Rice:

• Separate the Mint leaves from the stem.
• Blend the leaves in a mixer with 1tbsp water.
• Heat oil in a  pan, add in green chillies + ginger-garlic paste + mint puree.
• Mix
• Fold in rice slowly, check the seasonings. keep it aside.

For Serving:

• Take a mould or a bowl, apply oil in it.
• Layer it with 2tbsp full of Orange rice.
• Then top it with 2tbsp full of white rice.
• Lastly top it with white rice.
• Invert this on the plate on which u need to serve.
• It will look a tri-colored flag.
• Happy Republic Day 

Maggie noodles in Arabiata Sauce:

The wonder noodles which is liked by one and all has no age barriers to it.  We all have our memories related to Maggie. Some in hostels, some as a midnight snack, some on a friends get together at home.

Maggie is surely everyone’s 3am Friend. It takes care of our hunger pangs in between meals.

This wonder can be prepared in so many ways other than the conventional method with just the Maggie and its masala. This is so popular that now you even get them in all the dhabas and eating joints be it in hills or down south.

Unconventional ways to make this wonder noodles.

Maggie noodles in Arabiata Sauce

Ingredients:

1pac of Maggie Masala (Double Pack)

For the Arabiata Sauce:

5 Tomatoes (Puree)

1 Box Ready made Tomato Puree (Homemade Brand)

1medium-sized Onion

1medium-sized Capsicum

2 Green Chilies

5-6 Cloves of Garlic

5 leaves of Fresh Basil

Salt to taste

Oregano

Fresh Black Pepper

50gms Mozzarella Cheese

 Procedure:

• Boil Noodles with 1tsp oil and water.
• When the water starts boiling, put in the noodles.
• It will take around 5-6 minutes
• Immediately take it out of the vessel.
• Keep  it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add in finely chopped Garlic. When it is done add in green chilies. Stir well.
• Now add in the chopped onions. Let it saute for a while.
• Add in the tomato puree. (Both)
• Let the tomato puree cook till oil appears on top.
• Add in chopped capsicum let it cook for about 1 minute so that it still remains crunchy.
• Add in salt + black pepper + oregano + basil.
• Mix well.
• When its done lower the flame.

Final serve:

In a pan add in the sauce. Add in the boiled maggie noodles. Stir on high flame. Garnish it with Paneer Cubes.

Italian Sizzler:

I just love Sizzlers. There is a restaurant in Mumbai with the name of Bombay Blue, they serve the best Sizzlers. Whenever i am at tat place I always order this Beastly awesome thing and finish all of it alone...
Its a complete meal, which is healthy with the blend of veggies, sauces ... ohhh I am drooling just at the thought of it...
I am posting an interesting Sizzler which has the combination of Pasta, Garlic Bread and some pancakes.
I hope u all will enjoy it.!

Italian Sizzler

Pasta in Tomato & Basil Sauce

2Cups Mixed Pasta (I used Fusilli and Butterfly Variants)

3Cups water

1tsp Oil

For the  Tomato Basil Sauce:

5 Tomatoes (Puree)

1 Box Ready made Tomato Puree (Homemade Brand)

1medium-sized Onion

2 Green Chilies

5-6 Cloves of Garlic

5 leaves of Fresh Basil

Salt to taste

Oregano

Fresh Black Pepper

50gms Mozzarella Cheese

 For the Final Saute and Serving:

1cup Green Capsicum (Cubed)

1medium-sized onion (Cubed)

For the Peas Pancakes:

    Peas - 1 cup

    Boiled Potato - 1 nos

    Green Chillies chopped - 1 nos

    Cumin Powder - 1 tbsp

    Garam Masala - 1 tbsp

    Salt - As per taste

    Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp (add more for spiciness)

   Cornflour - 3 tbsps

   Oil - for shallow frying or deep frying

   Lime Juice - 1-2 tbsp (optional)

     For the Garlic Bread Supreme:

      6-7 Garlic Bread Slices

      2tbsp Butter

      6-7 cloves of garlic

      1/2 cup Capsicum (finely chopped)

      1/2 cup Onion (finely chopped)

      Salt to taste

      Black pepper  

      50gms mozzarella cheese

     Procedure:

     For the pasta in tomato basil sauce:

• Boil Pasta with 1tsp oil and water.
• When the water starts boiling, put in the pasta.
• It will take around 8-10 minutes.
• Immediately take it out of the vessel.
• Keep  it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add in finely chopped Garlic. When it is done add in green chilies. Stir well.
• Now add in the chopped onions. Let it saute for a while.
• Add in the tomato puree. (Both)
• Let the tomato puree cook till oil appears on top.
• Add in salt + black pepper + oregano + basil.
• Mix well.
• When its done lower the flame.

    For the Peas Pancake:

·        

•     Take 1 cup peas. Peas can either be fresh or frozen. Boil peas in very less water. I used frozen peas and put the peas in a microwave dish without any water. Covered the dish and microwaved for 4 minutes.
• ·      Mash the peas.
• ·     Add mashed potato. Mix well,
• ·     Add in salt +chilly flakes+ chopped green chilly + cornflour + oregano + paprika powder.
• ·      Roll the batter into medium sized flat cutlets.
• ·       Put oil in a pan, shallow fry the cutlets. 
•     When its done keep it aside

Garlic Bread Supreme

1.     Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 200degree Celsius.

2.     Take a bowl, mix in capsicum + onion + mozzarella cheese + salt + black pepper + garlic. mix all this well.

3.     Apply butter, on each of the slice.

4.     Spread 1tbsp of mixture over it.

5.     Place it in the oven and grill it for 10 minutes at 180 degree Celsius.

6.     Serve hot.

How to proceed

1.    Putt he plate n the stove.

2.    Place the cabbage leaves on the plate.

3.    Reheat the pasta with the tomato basil sauce.

4.    Place 2tbsp of cooked pasta on one side of the plate.

Italian Sizzler

Hara Bhara Kebab

I am so obsessed with kebabs, so just keep thinking of trying and making everytime i feel kebabi... hehe i knw thats  a lame word...
Hara Bhara kebab the name says it all, derives its green color from spinach, some recipes do use green peas, but i am posting the recipe with only spinach. Its winters, and you get loads of these this Green veggies almost everywhere. So its wont be difficult to find them. esp in winters.
Its healthy with the goodness of spinach and homemade fresh paneer. u can use the one that is available in market, but i prefer homemade.

Hara Bhara Kebab

Ingredients:
500gms Spinach
150gms Homemade Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
2 Green Chilies
1tsp ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
1tbsp Garam masala powder
2tbsp Besan

Procedure:

• Separate the spinach leaves from stem.
• Wash them well.
• Chop them coarsely.
• Now, in a pan take 2 cups of water. when the water starts boiling add in the chopped spinach in the boiling water. 
• Now at the count of 50 remove the spinach from water.
• Keep it aside for it to cool down.
• In the meanwhile, dry roast the besan.

• Now, In a bowl, add in the mashed paneer and the spinach.
• Add in salt + garam masla powder + ginger-garlic paste + green chilies + coriander + dry roasted besan.
• Mix well.

Now there is a little twist, you need to give smoke to the mix.

• Take some cooking coal. lit it up so that its burns properly.

• Put in a bowl, and place the bowl in the middle of the mixture.
• Place a lid over the bowl.
• Let the batter be properly smoked for 10 minutes.
• After, that divide the batter into equal balls.
• Flatten them into small tikkis.
• Heat a pan with some oil or ghee.
• Shallow fry kebabas.
• Serve hot with chutney and julienned onions and some lime juice.
• 
  

Hara Bhara Kebab

Lobia Salad (Black eyed Bean)

Nowadays me and my Husband are on healthy diet spree. So everyday I am coming up with new Salad recipes to break the monotony.
Hoping we loose some weight. (:D)

Lobia Salad

Ingredients:
1cup Boiled Lobia (Black eyed Bean)
1 medium-sized Tomato
1 medium-sized Onion
1/2 cup Cucumber
1/2 cup Yellow Bell Pepper
1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper

For the Dressing:
1tbsp Olive Oil
1tpsp Lime juice
Salt to taste
1tsp Black Pepper Powder

Procedure:

• Boil the lobia.
• In a bowl add in the boiled lobia + cucumber + tomato + onion + yellow and red bell peppers.
• In another bowl mix all the ingredients under dressing. mix well.
• Add the dressing in the vegetables.
• Mix well.
• Eat and enjoy.

Lobia Salad

Paneer Tikka

Though, Mumbai weather is not tat cold, but still these days the temperatures are going down, and in this temperature u always want to eat something hot, something spicy.... so I made this all time favourite Paneer Tikkas, which we always order when we are out for family outings in a restaurant.  I made them in the oven... if u have a barbecue u can make these in tat too.

Paneer Tikka

Ingredients:
250gms Paneer
1medium-sized Capsicum
1medium-sized Tomato
1medium sized Onion
8 Baby Potatoes

To Marinade:
1cup Yoghurt
2 Green Chilies
1tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
Fresh Coriander
Fresh Mint leaves
Salt to taste
1tsp Garam Masala powder
1tbsp Cumin powder
1tbsp Coriander pwoder
1tsp Amchur
1tsp Red chilly powder

Procedure:
For the vegetables:

• Cube paneer.
• Cube onions, Capsicum and Tomato
• Boil the baby potatoes, just one whistle. 
• Peel them. insert the potatoes with a tooth pick.

For the marinade:

• In a bow, add in the whisk curd. mix all the items under (marination list).
• Mix well.
• Add in the cubed paneer and the other vegetables.
• Mix and keep it aside for 30min- 1hr.

• In the meanwhile, if u r using wooden skewers keep them in hot water before using them.
• Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree Celsius.

• After 1 hour insert the paneer and vegetables in the skewers. alternately.

• Grill it in the oven for 15 minutes or till its done.

For serving:

• Heat a sizzler plate with cabbage leaves.
• Place the skewers on top of it.
• Serve hot with mint and coriander chutney.

Palak Paneer Paratha

I am a huge fan of the all eatables that they sell in Indigo... Previously also I had posted Basil Pesto Sandwich from their coveted menu. This time again m doing the same with Palak Paneer Sandwich..
Its a great combination of palak wid paneer in a paratha form. Its healthy and really gud for people who avoid eating green vegetables.

Palak Paneer Paratha

Ingredients:
For the Paneer Filling:
(You can refer to the recipe of Paneer Bhurjee)

250gms Homemade Paneer
2 Green chilies (Finely chopped)
1medium-sized Onion (Chopped)
1medium-sized Tomato (Chopped)
100gms Green peas
Fresh Coriander
Salt to taste
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Turmeric Powder
1tsp Cumin powder
1tsp Coriander powder
1tsp Oregano
2tbsp Olive Oil

For the Paratha;
(You can refer to the recipe of Palak Paratha)

1cup Palak (Spinach) Finely Chopped
2cup Wheat Flour
1tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
2geen chilies
1tsp ginger paste
1tsp cumin powder
1tsp coriander powder
1tsp aijwain
1tbsp curd
Water to knead

Procedure:
For the Paneer Filing:

• Heat oil in a pan, add in cumin seeds.
• When it stops cluttering add in chopped onions+ green chilies.
• After the onion turns pink, add in green peas.
• Add in salt so that the peas are cooked.
• When peas starts cooking add in chopped tomato.
• Let the tomatoes cook.
• Crumble the paneer with hands, add mix in the pan.
• Add in turmeric powder + cumin powder + coriander powder + oregano.
• Mix well.
• Add in coriander.
• Let it cook for 2 minutes. switch off the gas.
• Serve hot with parathas.

For the Paratha:

• Finely chop the spinach, green chilies..
• In a wide bowl add in flour + oil + curd + cumin powder + coriander powder + aijwain + salt + green chilies + ginger paste.
• Mix all well.
• Add in chopped spinach.
• Knead into a medium soft dough using enough water.
• Keep it aside for 10 minutes.
• Divide them into equal balls.
• Roll it. Apply ghee.
• Now wid a help of a knife half slit the rolled dough.
• Roll it into a cone.
• Press it.
• Roll it again into a round shape paratha.
• Heat a tawa.
• Cook on both sides with ghee.
• Serve hot.

To make the roll.

• Take a paratha, it should be piping hot
• Put 1tbsp full of paneer filling in between of the paratha.
• Roll it.
• Enjoy with Mint and Coriander Chutney.

Palak Paneer Paratha